Spring-compressing mechanism.



L. GERDERE'S.

SPRING OOMPRESSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1914.

1, 1 14,601 Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Loms GER-mines, acitizen of the Republic of France, having declared my intentions .of becoming a citizen- Louis p ma ma xavem sums-songwriting mus c Specification of Letters Piitpnt. Application filed April '23, 1914., s xual at. 534.904..

Patented Oct. 20.. 1914;.

of the United States, residing in Philadel phia, Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain Improvements in Spring-Compressing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to spring compress ing mechanism and is particularly designed to facilitate the insertion of valve springs such as are used on internal combustion engines or the like. In many forms of such engines, the valve-spring surrounds the valve stem, being held in place by a key passing through the same and it, necessarily has to be compressed before the key can be inserted. Ordinarily this is quite difiicult since these springs are frequently large and strong besides which there is often very little room in which to work.

One object of my invention therefore is, to provide a relatively simple and convenient device for compressing a spring and retaining it in its compressed condition so that it may be placed over the valve stem to permit the insertion of the key, the construction being such that after the key has been inserted the retaining means may be removed to allow the spring -to expand into its proper position. These' objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereafter set forth, reference being bad to the;

; ment is prevented by the engagement -ofaccompanying drawings in. which,

Figure 1 is an elevation showing my invention with its parts assembled; Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively top and inverted plan views of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 after certain of the mechanism has been removed; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of certain of the elements of my invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of details of the mechanism.

In the several views of the above drawings, 1 is a rod threaded throughout the greater portion'of its length and having a handle 2 at one end. A Wing nut 3 mounted on the threaded end of the rod 1 engages the outer face of a spring compressing plate 4, which has a central hole 5 for the rod 1 and a number of radially extending notches 6 for the reception of a series of arms 7 Each of these latter has valve stem.

mounted on a wire 13 of spring material formed in an arc of a circle or as a split ring as shown in Figs. 3 and 7'.

My invention is illustrated as employed 1n connection with a coil valve spring 10 one end of which is seated within a cup hooked ends 8 .and 9 and flare nibvably plate 11 having a centralshole12jfor--the When used to compress 'avalve spring, such as that shown, one end thereof 18 seated withinthe' cup 11, and the rod 1, having the .nut 3 removed, is put through the then .placed on the rod and the nut 3 is screwed on the latter until the nut is in engagement with said plate. movement of .the nut 3 and handle 2 in opposite directions will then force the spring cup 11 and the plate 4 toward each other and the spring between them may thus be compressed to a suitable degree. The arms 7 may now be applied in such manner thattheir hooked ends 8' extend within the notches 6 in the plate 4 over the end of the spring, while the Wire 13 is made to encircle the rodl so that the hooked ends 9 of the arms 7 extend under the cup 11. The walls of the notches 6 form spacing means for retaining the arms 17 at uniform distances apart around the spring 10 (see Figs. 2 and 6) and when the nut3' is backed off of the rod 1 the spring is allowed to expand until its farther more A relative hole 12 and the spring 10. The-plate 4 is one of its ends and the cup. 11 by the hooked ends 8 and 9 of the arms 7. The

nut 3 and plate 4 may then be removedand the rod 1 withdrawn, leaving the com pressed spring firmly held by the arms 7 as shown in Fig. 4. While in this condition the spring and cup may-be placed over the valve stem and after the usual key is in serted, the arms 7 can easily be drawn away from the spring by a small hand lever or the like; thus allowing it to expand into and I revent longitiidinal movement of the dle; a plate for engagement with one end pressed.

One of the ad antages of my invention resides inthe use of three or more reta'min cup 1; ereon' when i the spring is being comarms? which may be equally spaced aroun the s ringas shown mthe drawing and there y secure a stable retaining means.

If it is desired to compress a spring which is not provided with a seat cup, I may employ a second late similar in\ form to the a plate 4 in whic case the ends 9 as well as the ends 8 of the arms 7 would directly en a e the spring."

l e aim: 3 1. The combination in spring inserting mechanism of a threaded rod having ahanof the spring and having notches formed therein; a member on the rod for engaging the opposite end of the spring; a nut on the threaded portion of said rod in engagement with said plate for compressing the spring when it and the handle are turned tocause them to approach each other; and retaining arms having portions extending within the notches of the plate and in engagement with the spring respectively to retain the latter in a compressed condition after the nut has been removed. I

- 2. The combination in spring inserting mechanism of athreaded rod; members for engagement with the ends of the spring, each having a'hole for the passage of said rod and one of them having notches; a hat .for said rod for engagement with one of the members for compressing the spring when it and the handle are turned to cause them to approach each other; and a plurality of retaining arms, having portions extending within said notches of one of the members into engagement with the spring and with the other of said members respectively.

therod.

3, The combination inspring inserting mechanism of a threaded rod having a portlon designed to extend through said spring; means on sald portion for compressing the spring a plurality of arms for retaining t e sprlng in a compressed condition after said means has been removed; and a split ring encircling said bar for connecting said arms.

4. The combination in s ring inserting mechanism of members or en agement with the ends of a spring and eac having a hole; a' threaded rod provided with a handle and passing through the holes in said members, said rod having a portion of varying diameter placed to enter the hole in one of said members for limiting longitudinal movement thereof in one direction; and a nut on said rod operable against the other member to compress the, spring when it and the handle are turned in opposite directions.

5. The combination in spring inserting mechanism of means for compressing a spring includin a rod; a plurality of arms for retaining the spring in a compressed condition afterthe compressing means has been removed; with means connecting said arms and having an openin whereby it may be passed around sa d rod:

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS GERDERES,

- Witnesses: AUGUsTUs B. COPPES,

Joe. H. KLEIN. 

